George Herbert

George was born in Manchester in 2001, and his passion for music was kindled in earnest when he became a chorister at Manchester Cathedral. He joined Chetham’s School of Music at this time too, where he studied the trumpet after leaving the cathedral choir. George spent four years at St John’s College, Cambridge, first as an organ scholar studying Music and German, and latterly as Assistant Organist. In these roles, George accompanied St John’s College Choir in its daily sung liturgy, as well as its broadcasts, recordings and tours. He also regularly directed the choir, including live on BBC Radio 3 in its Advent Carol Service in 2021.As Assistant Organist, he was musical director of Aquila, the college’s all-female a cappella group. George is now the Assistant Director of Music at the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace. As an undergraduate, George was a pianist in Pembroke College’s Lieder Scheme, taking regular classes with Joseph Middleton. In 2021 he won first prize and the accompanist’s prize in Clare College’s biennial song competition, and in 2023 he won the Northern Ireland International Organ Competition. He is a passionate environmentalist, and wrote his final year dissertation on 1980s East German environmental policy and foreign relations. George is now living in London and working as a freelance pianist, organist and director. He works regularly as an accompanist with the Royal Academy of Music, Kantos Chamber Choir and Tenebrae, and has enjoyed recent collaborations with the Gabrieli Consort (Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius), the Royal Northern College of Music (Bernstein’s Mass) and English National Opera (Britten’s Peter Grimes). He looks forward to upcoming organ recitals at Westminster Abbey and the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin.

Reviewed 15/09/23